Dispensing-cabinet



A. F. STORMER.'

DISPENSING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY29.1919.

1,322,072. Patelrrt/ad Nov. 18, 1919.

AUGUST F. STORMER, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

DISPENSING-CABINET'.

incarna,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Application led May 29, 1919. Serial No'. 300,560.

To all whom t 'may concern Be it kno-wn that I, AUGUST F. S'ionMiiR, i

a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of lillinois, have invented new and useful improvements in Dispensingabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a dispensing cabinet for the use of store ,keepers and others in storing packaged goods exhibited for sale and permitting of the ready and convenient discharge or delivery of the packages, one at a time.

rThe object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including a rack provided with one or more chutes or compartments for holding a corresponding number of columns of packages in such a manner as to attractively display the same and keep them protected from dust or dirt While displayed, and which embodies means for supporting the column or columns of goods and for discharging a package whenever required for sale.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, convenient and inexpensive form and construction of coiiipartmented rack for holding a plurality of columns of packages, and a novel construction of ejectors for supporting the packages and ejecting them one at a time.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dispensing cabinet embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical front-to-reai section through the same.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a vertical section through the base of the cabinet on an enlarged scale, and illustrating the dispensing action of one of the ejeetors.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates an cuterinclosing case made of wood or other suitable material, and which, as shown, is of oblong rectangular foim and comprises a back wall 2, side walls 3, a bottom wall 4: and a top wall 5. The said top wall 5 may be removable or otherwise suitably constructed to permit access to the `top of the case for the purpose of filling or replenishing the chutes or compartments of the rack,

as hereinafter described, er this operation may be pei-formed in any other suitable manner. The front of the case is provided with a panel 6 of glass or other suitable transparent material, through which the contained goods will be displayed, which panel terminates at its lower end at a suitable elevation above the bottom wall Ll to provide an ejection or discharge opening 7.

Arranged within the inclosing case 1 is a rack 8, formed of sheet metal or other suitable material, and which is suitably formed to provide one or more longitudinal gut-ten like chutes or compartments for `holding columns ortiers of the packages 9 of goods to be vended. As shown in the present instance, the rack 8 is formed to provide a pair of parallel chutes or compartments 10 and 11, each including' a back wall 12 and outer and inner side walls 13 and 14, said chutes or compartments being open at their upper ends `to permit of the convenient insertion of the goods and at their lower ends for the discharge of the goods through the opening 7. The compartments are preferably in practice of such depth as to snugly receive the packages 9 and to press the same lightly against the transparent panel 6, sufficient ease of downward movement of the packages by gravity, however', being permitted to insure their free descent and obviate any tendency of the packages binding in the compartments.

For the purpose of enabling multiplecompartment racks of the character described to `be constructed in an easy, con venient and economicalmanner, l preferably form the rack in entirety ofa single piece of sheet metal bent into the described form, the relatively inner walls 141 of said compartments being produced by folding the material upon itself on a medial line, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing'. The back wall 12 of eacli compartment is separated at its lower end from the side walls 131 and let or projects below the same in the form of an extension, and this separated portion or extension 15 is bent downwardly and rearwardly on a seg- .meiitally curved line, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Arranged at the base of eacli compa-it ment is an ejector 16 comprising a plate of Y 13 and 14. Each ejector plate is provided with a substantially triangular extension 17 at its forward edge, which extension is bent forwardly and upwardly on a curved line to form a finger piece which projects outwardly through the opening 7. The ejector is provided at its sides with apertured lugs 18, projecting below the bottom thereof, and the lugs of the respective ejectors pivotally engage a rod 19 extending across between theV side walls of the outer casing, whereby the ejectors are' pivotally mounted for tilting movement in a vertical plane. Each ejector .carries at its rear end a depending weight 20 adapted to normally rest upon the rear surface of the top of the bottom wall 4, said weight serving to hold or support the f ejector in aV normally horizontal position and to return it to such position after each tilting actuating movement thereof.

It will be observed that the' packages 9 of each column are arranged so that the bottom package of the column rests upon the body plate of the ejector 11 substantially inline with the pivot 18, and that the upper-end of such lowermost package bears against a contact strip 21 at the base `1 of the panel 6,1said strip being spaced with relation to the ejector and length of the package to properly hold the lower package in position against displacement through `the opening 7 until the ejector is operated.

ln' order Vto discharge the lower package ythe finger of the operator is engaged with the finger piece 17 and downward presp sure exerted thereon to tilt the ejector in a forward direction. In this action the weighted rear end 20 of the ejector travels upwardly along the curved line of the member l5 and engages the rear portion of the lower end of the package and forces the same forward, the package thus being slid outwardly at an angle to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, in which it rests against the back wall of the compartment and the upturned .finger piece 17, thus disposing it so that it may lbe readily removed. 'Upon the removal of the tilted out package, the weight 2O returns the ejector to normal position by gravity and the column of packages remaining in the compartment then Vdescends by gravity, the lower package of the packages remaining in the column taking the placeof the preceding ejected one. Successivev packages may in this manner be easily and conveniently discharged, so that, inv addition to the fact that the packages are protected and attractively displayed, they may be readily and conveniently 'dispensed lin makingl sales. The function of the part 15 is to forma spring tongue against which the weight 2O bears with a cam action in thetilting movement of the ejector to discharge position, thus instituting a spring resistance to the too forcible or too rapid operation of the ejector and also a frictional resistance to the return of the ejector back to normal position, thus preventing slamming of the ejector on its return motion. 1t will be observed that the bottom 4 of the casing is of stepped formation, having the elevated rear upper surface 22 forining a seat for the weight 20 and a depressed or recessed lower surface 23, which latter permits of the downward movement of the finger piece 17 to a prescribed degree and acts as a stop to limit such movement thereof.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, the construction and mode of operation of my improved dispensing apparatus will be readily understood, and it will be seen that it provides an article of this character which is simple and inexpensive of construction and yet provides for the attractive display of the goods and individual discharge of the packages, while normally protecting them from dirt, dust and other foreign substances. Also it will be seen that the ejecting mechanism described insures simplicity of `construction of this part of the apparatus, as well as ease of motion thereof in dispensing a package and in returning to normal position. Other advantages of the' device will be apparent from the foregoing description. It will, of course, be understood that the invention may be embodied in a single chute or compartment, or that any desired number of chutes or compartments may be employed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim A 1. A dispensing cabinet comprising an outer inclosing casing having a discharge opening at the lower front portion thereof, a rack within the casing forming a channeled compartment having its lower end facing said discharge opening, the rear wall of said rack having a depending resilient extension, and a tilting ejector within said casing having a curved finger piece adapted to contact with the bottom wall of the casing when the ejector is tilted, said ejector having a weighted rear end adapted for frictional engagement with said resilient extension and to rest upon said bottom wall of the casing when said ejector is in normal position.

2. A dispensing cabinet comprising an inclosing casing having an outlet at thelower front portion thereof, a channeled compartment within said casing having its lower end facing said outlet, a curved resilient strip at the rear of the lower end of said compartment, and an ejector comprising a plate pivotally mounted at the lower end of the compartment, said plate having a depending weight at its rear end for contact with said resilient strip and adapted to normally rest upon the bottom wall of the casing, and having at its front edge an upwardly and'forwardly curved finger piece movable downwardly into engagement with the bottom wall of the easing.

3. A dispensing cabinet comprising an inolosing easing havino an outlet at the lower front portion thereof, a channeled compartment within said casing having its lower end facing said outlet, a Curved resilient .strip at the rear of the lower end of said compartment, the bottom of the cabinet being provided with an elevated portion beneath said strip and a depressed portion in 15 advance thereof, and an ejector comprising a plate pivotally mounted at the lower end of the compartment, said plate having a depending weight at its rear end for oontaot with said resilient strip and adapted to 20 normally rest upon the elevated portion of the bottom wall of the casing and having at its fro-nt edge an upwardly and forwardly curved finger piece movable downwardly into engagement with the depressed por- 25 tion of the bottom wall of the casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

\ AUGUST F. STORMER. 

